This project was completed for clients who wanted a comfortable, accessible 1ST floor bathroom for their grown daughter to use during visits to their home as well as a nicely-appointed space for any guest. Their daughter has some accessibility challenges so the bathroom was also designed with that in mind. The original space worked fairly well in some ways, but we were able to tweak a few features to make the space even easier to maneuver through. We started by making the entry to the shower flush so that there is no curb to step over. In addition, although there was an existing oversized seat in the shower, it was way too deep and not comfortable to sit on and just wasted space. We made the shower a little smaller and then provided a fold down teak seat that is slip resistant, warm and comfortable to sit on and can flip down only when needed. Thus we were able to create some additional storage by way of open shelving to the left of the shower area. The open shelving matches the wood vanity and allows a spot for the homeowners to display heirlooms as well as practical storage for things like towels and other bath necessities. We carefully measured all the existing heights and locations of countertops, toilet seat, and grab bars to make sure that we did not undo the things that were already working well. We added some additional hidden grab bars or “grabcessories” at the toilet paper holder and shower shelf for an extra layer of assurance. Large format, slip-resistant floor tile was added eliminating as many grout lines as possible making the surface less prone to tripping. We used a wood look tile as an accent on the walls, and open storage in the vanity allowing for easy access for clean towels. Bronze fixtures and frameless glass shower doors add an elegant yet homey feel that was important for the homeowner. A pivot mirror allows adjustability for different users. If you are interested in designing a bathroom featuring “Living In Place” or accessibility features, give us a call to find out more. Susan Klimala, CKBD, is a Certified Aging In Place Specialist (CAPS) and particularly enjoys helping her clients with unique needs in the context of beautifully designed spaces. Designed by: Susan Klimala, CKD, CBD Photography by: Michael Alan Kaskel

Миша Чекалов
Inspiration for a contemporary 3/4 bathroom in Other with flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, a wall-mount toilet, gray tile, a vessel sink, grey floor and brown benchtops.

Proyecto realizado por Meritxell Ribé - The Room Studio Construcción: The Room Work Fotografías: Mauricio Fuertes
This is an example of a mid-sized mediterranean 3/4 bathroom in Barcelona with grey cabinets, beige tile, porcelain tile, white walls, a wall-mount sink, solid surface benchtops, beige floor, white benchtops, an alcove shower, a wall-mount toilet, concrete floors, an open shower and flat-panel cabinets.

This is an example of a large contemporary 3/4 bathroom in Phoenix with flat-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, a curbless shower, a one-piece toilet, beige tile, limestone, beige walls, an undermount sink, quartzite benchtops, beige floor, an open shower, white benchtops and limestone floors.

Wing Wong/ Memories TTL
Design ideas for a mid-sized arts and crafts 3/4 bathroom in New York with medium wood cabinets, a two-piece toilet, white tile, white walls, an undermount sink, granite benchtops, multi-coloured floor, a hinged shower door, grey benchtops, a corner shower, mosaic tile floors and glass-front cabinets.

This Brookline remodel took a very compartmentalized floor plan with hallway, separate living room, dining room, kitchen, and 3-season porch, and transformed it into one open living space with cathedral ceilings and lots of light. photos: Abby Woodman

This bathroom remodel was designed by Lindsay from our Windham showroom. This remodel features 6”x40” Edimaz shower tile wall with Almond color, Anatolia Bliss Black timber glass & slate shower accent tile and Swanstone shower pan, bench and shelf with mountain haze color. Other features include Kohler drain & light sconce. American standard lavatory faucet, shower head and 2 handle thermostate. The trim is from Portsmouth collection.

Mike and Anne of Barrington Hills desperately needed to update and renovate both their kid’s hall bath and guest bath, and in their 1980’s home each project presented a different set of unique challenges to overcome. When they set out to identify the right remodeling company to partner with, it was important to find a company that could help them to visualize design solutions for the bath renovations. When they came across Advance Design Studio’s website, they were immediately drawn to the solution-oriented remodeling process and the family friendly company. They say they chose Advance Design because of the integrated approach of “Common Sense Remodeling”, making the design, project management and construction all happen in one place. When they met with Project Designer Michelle Lecinski, they knew they chose the right company. “Michelle’s excellent work on the initial designs made it easy to proceed with Advance Design Studio,” Mike said. Like most homeowners anticipating a big renovation project, they had some healthy fears; with two bathrooms being remodeled at the same time they worried about timeframes and staying within budget. With the help of Michelle, and the “Common Sense” guidelines, they were confident that Advance Design would stay true, orchestrating all the moving parts to stay within both the estimated timeline and budget. The guest bath offered the biggest design challenge. A dormer obstruction made the already cramped shower awkward to access. Mike and Anne also wanted the shower size to be expanded, making it more accommodating. Working with Advance’s construction expert DJ Yurik, Michelle relocated the shower concealing the original dormer and creating a larger, more comfortable and aesthetically pleasing guest shower. The unsightly and not at all user-friendly closet was removed and replaced with elegant White Maple Dura Supreme cabinetry with much improved function featuring dual tall linen cabinets, a special makeup area and two sinks, providing a dual vanity which was extremely important for better guest use. The Fossil Brown quartz countertop is in pleasing contrast to the white cabinetry, and coordinates nicely with the mocha porcelain tile gracing the shower for an accent. The decorative glazed turquoise tile backsplash, tile border, and bottle niche adds a taste of marine green to the room, while marble-looking porcelain tile makes guests feel they are staying in a 5-star hotel. Polished nickel Kohler plumbing fixtures were chosen to add a touch of sophistication. This renovated guest bath is comfortable and elegant, and Anne and Mike’s house guests may never want to leave! “The end result was updated and restyled bathrooms that the client will enjoy and increase the value of their home,” Designer Michelle said. The children’s hall bath had its own set of challenges. The current placement of the sink was not conducive to the best use of the existing space, nor did it allow for any visual interest, something Advance’s designers always work to achieve even within the tight confines of a small bath. Advance removed the linen closet and used the gain in wall space to create a dramatic focal point on the vanity wall. They also took additional space that wasn’t being used for new Storm Gray Dura Supreme tall built-in linen cabinets, creating functional storage space that the former bath lacked. A customized glass splash panel was created for the bath, and the high ceilings with skylights were accented with a custom-made track lighting fixture featuring industrial pipe and cage materials. Authentic cement encaustic tile was used wall to wall surrounding the vanity to create a dramatic and interesting back drop for the new elegant and stately furniture-like double sink wall. Hand-made encaustic tile originated in Western Europe beginning in the 1850’s and reminded Mike and Anne of tile they had seen and loved from their travels overseas. Today, encaustic tile has made a re-appearance in today’s modern bath design with its wide array of appealing patterns and artistic use of color. Oil rubbed bronze Kohler fixtures echo the black accents in the beautiful tile pattern and reflect the matte black of the unique lighting detail. Easy to maintain Blanca Arabescato Quartz countertops add practicality and natural beauty and compliments the warm wood porcelain tile floors. This handsome bath has generated praise from friends and family even before it’s complete unveiling as photos of the space leaked out on social media! It’s not only completely functional to use, but especially pretty to look at. “Advance Design Studio did a terrific job for us. We really appreciated how easy it was to work with them on a complex project of the complete remodeling of two bathrooms. They very capably handled all the details from design, to project management, to construction. It is a great group of people to work with and we would welcome the opportunity to work with them again anytime,” Mike said.

One of the new modern bathrooms in the Marianella apartments. Photo: Baha Khakimov
Mid-sized contemporary 3/4 bathroom in Dublin with a wall-mount toilet, beige tile, porcelain tile, beige walls, porcelain floors, beige floor, an alcove shower, a wall-mount sink and a hinged shower door.

Design ideas for a mid-sized modern 3/4 bathroom in New York with an alcove shower, brown tile, gray tile, porcelain tile, porcelain floors, a wall-mount sink, engineered quartz benchtops, multi-coloured floor and a hinged shower door.

Inspiration for a small beach style 3/4 bathroom in Phoenix with distressed cabinets, a two-piece toilet, beige walls, pebble tile floors, a vessel sink, wood benchtops, grey floor, brown benchtops and flat-panel cabinets.

Lower Level 3/4 Bathroom features shiplap wall, subway tile shower, furniture piece vanity, and rustic tile floor.
Design ideas for a mid-sized country 3/4 bathroom in Minneapolis with an alcove shower, porcelain floors, solid surface benchtops, a hinged shower door, medium wood cabinets, a two-piece toilet, white tile, beige walls, a vessel sink, grey floor and flat-panel cabinets.

Country 3/4 bathroom in Orlando with a shower/bathtub combo, a two-piece toilet, brown walls, a trough sink, brown floor, an open shower and an alcove tub.

Photo of a large mediterranean 3/4 bathroom in Other with a wall-mount toilet, cement tile, beige walls, cement tiles, solid surface benchtops and grey floor.

Photo of a small transitional 3/4 bathroom in New York with an alcove shower, a one-piece toilet, gray tile, porcelain tile, grey walls, brown floor and a hinged shower door.

Inspiration for a small eclectic 3/4 bathroom in Kent with a two-piece toilet, subway tile, multi-coloured walls, a vessel sink, black floor, an open shower, light wood cabinets, an alcove shower, white tile and shaker cabinets.

A closer look at the bathroom cabinetry, Carrera countertop, and rehabbed door with restored door hardware.
Small traditional 3/4 bathroom in San Francisco with white cabinets, an alcove shower, white tile, subway tile, white walls, ceramic floors, an undermount sink, quartzite benchtops, white floor, a hinged shower door and recessed-panel cabinets.

Design ideas for a mid-sized traditional 3/4 bathroom in Minneapolis with raised-panel cabinets, white cabinets, an alcove tub, a shower/bathtub combo, a two-piece toilet, brown tile, subway tile, beige walls, porcelain floors, an undermount sink, engineered quartz benchtops, beige floor and a shower curtain.

Design ideas for a small arts and crafts 3/4 bathroom in Seattle with grey cabinets, a corner shower, a one-piece toilet, white tile, ceramic tile, grey walls, marble floors, a vessel sink, white floor, a hinged shower door and open cabinets.